Seven ECE alumni were welcomed into the Academy by Daniel R. Fuhrmann, the Dave House
Professor and Chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Calling
it a joy to welcome the newest inductees back to campus and recognize their accomplishments,
Fuhrmann says the Academy induction is one of the high points of the academic calendar
for his department.

“A department of 35 people can’t solve all the world’s problems, but our efforts are
leveraged by the hundreds and thousands of successful graduates, each making their
mark in the world in their own way. The ECE Academy represents the best and brightest
of that group.”

The keynote speaker for the banquet was Timothy C. Havens, William and Gloria Jackson
Associate Professor of Computer Systems and Director of the Center for Data Sciences.
His address was titled “Computing at Michigan Tech.”

The 2018 inductees are:

Paul W. Juodawlkis—Class of 1986

Juodawlkis has focused his career on the development of advanced technology for national
security as both a research engineer and technical manager at the Massachusetts Institute
of Technology. He began his career on the team that developed the Airborne Seeker
Test Bed platform, an airborne multi-sensor instrumentation system used to evaluate
the survivability of U.S. air vehicles missile attack and the effectiveness of electronic
countermeasures.

Juodawlkis is a Fellow of both the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers
and the Optical Society for his research contribution to optical sampling techniques.

He has been an active volunteer for several professional, academic and community organizations.
In addition to his many accomplishments, he has coached youth soccer for seven years
in Arlington, Massachusetts where he lives with his wife, Amy and son, James.

Michael A. Pulick Jr.—Class of 1986

Pulick is among five siblings who are Michigan Tech grads. The first 12 years of his
career were spent at General Electric, working in appliances, medical systems, motors
and industrial systems. In 1999, he joined W.W. Grainger, Inc., North America’s leading
broad line supplier of maintenance, repair and operating products. During his time
at Grainger, he rose through the ranks as vice president of product development, senior
vice president of customer service, eventually becoming president of Grainger U.S.
and eventually president of Grainger International.

In 2015, Pulick joined the private equity firm of Warburg Pincus as an advisor for
the industrial and business service sector and currently serves on the board of directors
for the Wencor Group.

Throughout his career, Pulick has been passionate about exposing STEM students and
professionals to business, financial and leadership experiences. He currently sits
on the Dean’s Advisory Council for Tech’s School of Business and Economics. He and
his wife, Elizabeth, a Michigan Tech grad, live in Naples, Florida.

Mark Rich—Class of 1980

Early in his career, the late Mark Rich was director of the Communication and Signals
Technology Laboratory at SRI International. He was a co-founder and CTO of SkyPilot
Networks, where he developed the mesh architecture for commercial broadband wireless
infrastructures services.

From 2010 to 2014, Rich was a program manager at the U.S. Defense Advanced Research
Project Agency (DARPA) Strategic Technology Office. From DARPA, he went to Google
as a technical project lead with the Advanced Technology and Projects Group, leading
research into advanced radio architectures. At both DARPA and Google, Rich supported
research projects in Tech’s ECE Department. He held patents in digital audio broadcasting,
polyvector modulation, mesh communications protocols and architectures and antenna
systems.

Tragically, Rich was killed in a plane crash in Oregon last August. His wife Laura,
accepted his posthumous induction in his honor.

Jon E. Jipping—Class of 1991

While at Detroit Edison, Jipping was the recipient of the company’s Sarah Sheridan
Award for exceptional customer service in the deployment of new technology for an
industrial customer. He is currently executive vice president and chief operating
officer for ITC Holdings Corp. There, he is responsible for system operations, planning
engineering, supply chain, field construction and maintenance and information technology.
Jipping is one of the original employees to start ITC in 2003, beginning his tenure
as director of engineering. He rose to vice president of engineering and subsequently
senior vice president of engineering.

Jipping is currently serving as chair of the External Advisory Board of Michigan Tech’s
College of Engineering and is a former member and chair of the External Advisory Committee
for the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Jeffery W. Feldt—Class of 1984

While in college, Feldt participated in the Cooperative Education Program with Bechtel
Power Corporation, receiving 20 months of practical field experience working on the
construction of two nuclear power plants. He has spent the last 35 years working in
the electric utility industry and is currently general manager of Kaukauna Utilities
in Wisconsin, a position he has held for the past 16 years.

Feldt has held numerous leadership positions on state and national electric trade
associations and power supply agencies; he is currently chair of the WPPI Energy Board
of Directors in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, a position he has held for the past seven
years. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the American Public Power Association,
and is past president of the Michigan Municipal Association and Municipal Electric
Utilities of Wisconsin.

Feldt and his wife of 30 years, Maureen, have two adult daughters. Like many Michigan
Tech grads, he competed twice in the Lake Superior Pro Rally as a co-driver in the
mid 2000s.

Arjang Roshan-Rouz—Class of 1992

Early in his career, Roshan-Rouz worked for both Bosch North America and Ford Motor
Company and has 25 years of international executive experience in managing and growing
businesses in industries related to automotive, specialty chemicals, material technology
and electronics. In addition, he has managed businesses in the Asia-Pacific region
and in Europe while living there.

Throughout his executive tenure, Roshan-Rouz established a track record of success
in sustainably growing businesses in world markets, including Asia-Pacific, Europe
and North America, along with transforming underperforming global ventures.

In 2016, he was appointed the president and CEO of 5N Plus, Inc., in Montreal, a leading
producer of engineered materials for various industries including pharmaceutical,
healthcare, renewable energy, aerospace, security, sensing and imaging.

Dennis Wiitanen—Class of 1963

Wiitanen joined Michigan Bell shortly after graduating from Michigan Tech, but returned
to his alma mater to pursue graduate study. While working as a graduate teaching assistant,
he was inspired to pursue a career in education. After earning a PhD at the University
of Missouri-Rolla, he turned down their teaching offer in order to return to Houghton
to accept a position as an assistant professor of electrical engineering and the chance
to lead the power program at Michigan Tech. During his 42-year career at Tech, Wiitanen
initially developed a strong undergraduate program and then turned his attention to
the graduate program in power.

He continued to develop corporate support for the program and over the years, the
addition of several faculty further expanded the power program, which included the
addition of the PhD program in power.

Over his career, Wiitanen has taught more than 1,000 students in power systems and
now joins several of them as members of Tech’s ECE Academy. Wiitanen and his wife,
Barbara, live in Houghton.

The purpose of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Academy is to honor outstanding
ECE graduates. Election to the Academy is made by the ECE Executive Committee and
recognizes excellence and leadership in the engineering profession and civic affairs.
Portraits of the new Academy members will be added to the display in the lobby of
the Electrical Energy Resources Center.

Michigan Technological University is a public research university, home to more than
7,000 students from 54 countries. Founded in 1885, the University offers more than
120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering,
forestry, business and economics, health professions, humanities, mathematics, and
social sciences. Our campus in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula overlooks the Keweenaw Waterway
and is just a few miles from Lake Superior.

About the Author

Mark Wilcox

Mark is a veteran Upper Peninsula journalist and former managing editor of the Houghton
Daily Mining Gazette. Mark's work has been honored by the Associated Press, Michigan
Press Association and the Upper Peninsula Good News Awards. He enjoys fishing and
spending time, along with his wife Maryann, with their grandchildren. Mark regularly
appears in Michigan Tech Theatre Company productions.